Chasing first major title, Sam Burns holds two-shot lead at The Open
Sam Burns leads The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after a strong third-round performance, putting him in contention for his first major title. He is followed by Ryan Fox and Si Woo Kim, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler remains in the field.
Why it matters
The Open is one of golf's most prestigious events, and the leaderboard reflects a highly competitive field with record-breaking scoring potential.
Sam Burns shot a 5-under par 65 with a clean back nine in the third round of The Open Championship to take a two-stroke lead Saturday (July 18, 2026) at Southport, England.
Burns sits at 10-under 200 and ahead of New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, who became part of history with a third-round 62, and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, who posted 67, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. Fox and Kim are at 8 under.
Burns is making a run at his first title in a major after strong efforts earlier this year by tying for second in the Masters and finishing as the U.S. Open runner-up.
His 62-65 run over the past two rounds is the lowest 36-hole stretch in major championship history.
Burns has five victories on the PGA Tour, but none this year.
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